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558 BENEDICT VADAKKEKARA The idea to have a foundation in Mangalore was not anything new. In a long letter of 24 June 1926 addressed to the newly elected General Minister, the Commissary recounts the ups and downs of the attempt of the Capuchins to open a base in Mangalore, a region reputed to be ii- rich source for vocations to religious life and priesthood. Mons Paul Perini SJ had "about twelve years ago" invited Fr Romulus of Pistoia (Prov. Tuscany) to take possession of "the remains of a Franciscan House that had existed seventy-five years previously" at Monte Mariano, a hillock "eleven miles" away from Mangalore. To give the General a rough idea of the distance that separated Mangalore from Sardhana, the Com– missary said that a two-way railway ticket ''by second class amounts to at least Rs 300". Mgr Perini extended the same invitation to the then Capuchin General but it was not followed up precisely because of the dissuasion of the Apostolic Dele– gate, who wanted the Capuchins to give priority to getting themselves established in North India 1 74 . But later "under instruction of the last Father General", Fr Leo of Hom– pesch inquired of Mgr Perini whether the offer of Monte Mariano still stood. The reply was forthright: the invitation to the Capuchin General to convert "the St Francis Church and Friary" into a Novitiate or Study or any other institution, was still valid. But since he had been transferred to Calicut in the meantime and was now only the Administrator of Mangalore, Mgr Perini thought that he should sound out the Diocesan Consultors of Mangalore 175 . On getting the green light from the Consultors, the Bishop wrote to Fr Leo, expressing his hope that the Diocese of Mangalore would have the privilege to commemorate St Francis' seventh death centennial by welcoming the Capuchins to Monte Mariano 1 76 • • The decision to shift the Study to Mangalore evoked mixed reactions. While most of the friars welcomed it, some along with Mgr Bernacchioni looked at it rather askance. The general superiors chose to proceed with caution and wanted the plan to mature yet further 177 . But "on receiving urgent fillip from every part 174 C£ AGCap G 68, II, Novizjato e Stud.to, Fr Commissary to Fr General, Mussoorie 24 June 1926. 1 7 5 APCapTusc, Missione Indostan, Mgr Perini to Fr Leo of Hompesch, Calicut 14 January 1926, spoke of "circa 20 acres del terreno" that would be available to the Capucbins. 176 C£ AGCap G 68, II, Novizjato e Stud.to, Mgr Perini to Fr Leo, Mangalore 11 March 1926. 177 AGCap G 68, II, Novizjato e Stud.to, Fr General Archivist to Fr Commissary, Rome 1 May 1926: "Il Rev.mo P. Generale ha atteso finora a rispondere la di Lei in data 25 marzo,